The shortlist that surprised everyone: How we found a principal power systems consultant

Background

The client, a large Power OEM had been searching for a Principal Power Systems Consultant for four months. They had engaged two specialist agencies and posted on three industry job boards. The result was a handful of CVs, none of which got past a first interview.

We have tried the obvious routes. They have not worked. We need someone who can lead complex network studies, interface with the DNO and TSO on connection agreements, and mentor three junior engineers. The clock is ticking: we have a live framework agreement with a major utility that needs this resource.

— TA Specialist

Why the previous search failed

Before sourcing, we worked out why the earlier search had stalled. The diagnosis was straightforward. First, the spec was generic, "experienced power systems engineer with grid connection knowledge", which produced a generic pool; the specific requirements (GB grid codes, DigSILENT proficiency, transmission connection assessment, client-facing leadership) were buried in the detail. Second, the approach was passive: job postings attract active candidates, and the person they needed was not active. Third, there was no pre-qualification, so every CV consumed a busy senior engineer’s time.

The search process

Days 1 to 2: candidate mapping

AI-assisted sourcing mapped the UK and Irish market for demonstrable experience in transmission connection studies, GB grid code compliance, and senior client-facing advisory. It produced a longlist of 32, including eight who did not call themselves "Principal Power Systems Consultant" but whose actual work matched precisely.

Days 2 to 8: outreach and engagement

A TalSource consultant with a power systems background contacted all 32, describing the study type, client environment, team structure, and career rationale. It did not begin with "I came across your profile." Seven responded positively within 48 hours, three more within 72. Of ten engaged, eight confirmed interest in assessment.

Days 9 to 22: video assessment

Eight completed our structured assessment, covering power systems fundamentals and study methodology, GB grid code and connection experience, DigSILENT proficiency, client advisory capability, and team leadership. All eight recordings went to the hiring manager who reviewed them asynchronously over a weekend and picked 3 for a team interview.

The outcome

The placed candidate had not applied for a role in over two years. They were employed, leading a technical team, and by their own account "not really looking." What changed was the approach: specific, credible, and describing a genuine step up in scope and leadership. They started four weeks after accepting and, within their first month, had taken ownership of two live connection studies and begun a structured mentoring programme. The framework agreement was maintained, the resource gap closed, and a four-month delay resolved in 4 weeks of active search.

What this search demonstrated

Three things drove the outcome

• Domain-specific sourcing: mapping the actual landscape, including people who do not self-identify with the job title, reached a pool that boards and generic agencies had not
• Credible, specific outreach: seven of twenty-two responding within 48 hours was a direct function of relevance, not volume
• Front-loaded assessment: the structured video assessment let senior engineers review eight candidates in a weekend and pick three to interview, with zero hours in first-round calls

If your current search has run more than eight weeks without a shortlist, the process, not the market, is the problem. Speak to TalSource.